Dispensing device



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Nov' 19 T. WARD DI SPENS ING DEVICE Filed A112. 18, 1959 M/i TER/ALPatented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING DEVICEApplication August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,890

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a dispensing device and an associated chargingvalve for use on liquid dispensers in general. The dispenser head isformed as a one-piece body by molding the same from a synthetic resinplastic to provide a discharge nozzle integral therewith. the screw plugor casing which receives the charging valve being anchored ilrmly withinthe body of the head during the molding operation. lo In liquiddispensers of the type herein disclosed, it has been the practice toprovide a charging valve and a piercing pin which, in operation, weredetachably secured together but which had to be separated one from theother l5 in the event that it became necessary to replace the valve orthe pin after. these parts became worn due to excessive operation of thesame. Usually, special tools were found necessary to disassemble theseparts and replacement thereof offered an intricate and time consumingoperation to the usual unskilled users of the dispenser who ordinarilymade such replacements. One well known type of prior art devicesreferred to u is disclosed in Patent No. 2,047,096, issued to Wil- '1"iiarn Brewer. The prior art devices of this type were also relativelyexpensive to construct.

.According to the present invention, the charging valve is formedintegrally with the piercing pin and is supported within a screw plug orvalve 3U' casing by means of a threaded bushing which iunctions also asa valve seat. The screw plug is threaded at its free end to receive agas bulb holder and the novel arrangement of valve, valve seat bushingand valve spring permits the use oi a relatively short screw plug. Asshown in Patent 2,047,096, a dust cap is provided to cover the free endof the screw plug. In accordance with thepresent invention, a dust capis pivoted to the dispenser head body and the relatively Afill shortscrew plug disclosed permits the use of a pivoted dust cap which, whenclosed over the plug, is positioned close to the dispenser head body.The main object of this invention is to provide, i5 in a dispenser ofthe gas pressure type, a unitary charging valve and piercing pin thatmay be readily assembled or disassembled with respect to the associatedparts.

Another object is to provide a dispenser head wherein .the main bodythereof including the nozale is molded from a resinous plastic materialand in a manner to permit a ready assembly therewith of a charging valveand a liquid control valve and associated lever. im Another object is toprovide, in a dispenser (Cl. 22S-22) head, a novel type of dust capwhich is pivotally secured to the dispenser head in a manner to coverand conceal the exposed part of the screwthreaded plug or bushing withinwhich the valve and pin arejh'oused.

Another Objectis to provide a charging valve and piercing pin unit andrelated parts that are simple in construction and inexpensive tomanufacture.

A further object is to provide a novel means 1 for supporting thecharging valve spring within a valve housing in a manner to permit .theuse of a valve housing of minimum length.

vOther objects will appear from the specification which follows and theaccompanying draw- 1| ing, wherein- Figure l is a view in elevation,partly in section, of a dispenser head assembled with a dispenser ask;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, showing a 2 unitary piercing pinand charging valve just prior to piercing a gas bulb;

Fig. 3 is a view, in section, showing the molded body portion of thedispenser head; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing the piercing 25 pin and relatedparte.

Referring to Fig. 1, the improved syphon head I is shown as applied tothe metallic body or tank 2 in a manner disclosed in the patent issuedto Lawrence T. Ward, No. 2,092,596, dated september '7, 1937. The head Iis formed, for the most part, by molding the same from a heat hardenedplastic such as a synthetic resin. The nozzle 3 is molded integral withthe head and a dispensing valve assembly 4 is detachably mi mountedwithin a chamber 4' formed in the head. A measuring tube 5, Siphon tube6 and associated gasket 'i are shown in a relation corresponding to thatshown in Fig. 7 of said patent, but this relation may be varied asdesired .te and forms no part of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 3, the screw plug or piercing r pin nipple 9 is iirmlymolded in position as a unit with the material of the head l, whichmaterial is preferably a synthetic resin of great hardness and toughnessand which is not cor roded by any type of fluid dispensed. The inner orembedded end of ythe plug 8 terminates in a hexagonal shaped iiange 9which assists to anchor this plug in position and to resist displace- 50ment due to torsional or other stresses applied thereto. A dust cover I0is secured to the head I by means of a pivot I I and, as shown in Fig.1, may be displaced downwardly to cover completely the outer threadedfree end of the plug 8. It t will be noted in this figure that thiscover is shaped in a manner to preserve the symmetry of the head I, andthe contour lines of this cover blend in with the contour of the head topresent an ornamental appearance.

The various parts associated with the plug 8 which are shown assembledin Fig. 2, are shown as separated as an exploded view in Fig. 4. It willbe noted that the piercing pin I2 is perminently assembled with a checkvalve I3 as a removable or replaceable unit and which may be readilyremoved for repair or replacement purposes by merely removing the valvehousing l. The valve disc I3 has a tubular extension I5 within which thetubular pin I2 is secured as by a crimp I6 and one or more lateral portsIl are formed in the wall of the extension I5 to permit gas to pass fromwithin the central bore of this extension, thence outwardly and aroundthe valve disc I3 when the latter is unseated.

A valve facing washer I8 is arranged to contact the valve seat I8 whenthe valve is seated thereon. The member I4 has a central opening 28 toreceive the pin I2 and is threaded on its outer lperiphery at ZI topermit the threads thereon to engage a corresponding thread 22 formed onthe inner wall of plug 8, A washer 23 provides a gas tight seal betweenthe plug 8 and the inner end of the member It. Prior to assembly of themember I4 and pin-valve unit I2-I3, a valve spring 24 is inserted Withinthe plug 8. This plug is provided with a circular flange or valve stop25 forming an opening which serves not only to receive and center thespring 24, but also forms an outlet port to pass gas therethrough,thence through a port 28 formed in the material of the head I. A recess24' is formed in the material of the head I during the molding operationor this recess may be drilled out after the plug 8 is molded intoposition. The spring 24 is seated in this recess at its inner end in amanner to permit the greater portion of this spring to be compressedwithin the recess 24' when the valve I3 is unseated.

After the seat member I4 and the unit I2-I3 are assembled within theplug 8 with the spring 24 engaging the disc I3, a cylindrical taperedrubber washer 2l is inserted within the outer open end of the plug 8 anda split snap retaining ring 23 is positioned in a groove 28 formed inthe plug 8 in a manner to retain this washer in position.

As shown in Fig. 2, a bulb holder 30 with a bulb 3l therein may bescrewed onto the plug 8 winch has threads 32 thereon to engage the usualthreads formed on the bulb holder.

During the operation of screwing the holder In position, the sealed endof the bulb will be forced against the pin I2 which will be movedinwardly to first unseat disk I3 and thereafter move this valve diskagainst the bottom of the plug 8, after which contact the pin is causedto pierce the bulb seal and permit gas to flow from the bulb and throughthe holes I'I, around the open valve .I 3 and through port 28 into thesyphon tank 2. When the holder 30 is removed, the spring 24 and gaspressure acting on the valve I3 will cause the latter to engage its seatI8. The tank 2 is thereby charged through the tube 8 and, thereafter,the contained liquid may be dispensed therefrom upon operation of themain control valve 4 to permit carbonated fluid to flow through a port33 and out of the nozzle 3.

It will be noted that, during assembly, the spring 24 is merely droppedinto position within the flange 2B and the recess 24'. The valve and pinunit I2-I3 is inserted within the member I5 and this unit and member I4are screwed into position within the plug 8, during which operation, thespring 24 is gradually stressed to an amount necessary to adequatelyforce the disk I3 against its seat I9. During this operation, only onemember I4, is worked on and by a simple rotary motion, therebypermitting assembly of all four parts 8, I3, I4 and 24 in a very simpleand expeditious manner. It will be noted also that the seating of valveI3 within the member I4 with the spring 24 in recess 24' permits the useof a relatively short member I4 as well as a relatively short plug 8 andthat the member I4 functions as a guide for the disc I3 Also, the forceexerted on pin I2 in puncturing the bulb 3l is exerted directly upon theextreme inner shouldered end of the plug 8 closely adjacent to theanchorage point thereof.

The fluid control valve 4 is retained within its chamber 4' by means ofa cap or plug 32 which has threads 33 that engage threads 34 formed inthe body I. This valve 4 is moved upwardly by a lever which engages aslot 35 while a spring 38 serves to maintain the valve 4 normallyengaged with its seat, 81 which is molded integrally with the body I.The valve 4 and control lever form no part of this invention and samehave been shown in more detail in said Patent No. 2,092,596. As shown inFig. 1. the lower edge 38 of the cap I0, in closed position, engages aflat shoulder 39 formed on the body I.

I claim:

1. A charging valve assembly for a fluid dispenser comprising a tubularplug, a tubular valve housing, means for detachably supporting saidhousing within the plug, a valve member, a tubular piercing pinextending from said valve member, a circular valve seat extendinginwardly from and adjacent one end of the housing, said valve beingadapted to engage said seat with the pin extending beyond said end ofthe housing. said valve and pin being removable as a unit from thehousing.

2. In a valve assembly as set forth in claim 1, a valve stop extendinginwardly from one end of the plug, the other end of the plug beingthreaded to permit attachment thereto of a gas capsule holder wherebythe seal of a gas capsule positioned in the holder may be forced againstthe piercing pin to cause the latter to move as a unit with the valveuntil the valve engages the stop.

3. In a valve assembly as set forth in claim l. a valve stop extendinginwardly from one end of the plug, a spring for forcing the valveagainst the valve seat, said valve being movable by pressure on said pininto engagement with the stop.

4. A charging valve assembly for a liquid dispenser comprising a tubularplug, a tubular valve housing, means for detachably supporting saidhousing within the plug, a valve member, a tubular piercing pin integralwith said valve member, a circular valve seat extending inwardly fromand adjacent one end of the housing, said valve being adapted to engagesaid seat with the pin extending beyond said end of the housing, aspring for forcing the valve against the valve seat, said valve beingmovable from its seat upon engagement of a gas bulb seal with the pin, acircular flange formed on said plug adjacent an end thereof, said valvebeing movable to contact the flange, the free edge of the flange formingan opening, said spring being positioned Within the opening.

i5. A charging valve assembly for a dispenser comprising a tubular plug,a tubular valve housing, said plug and housing having interengagingthreads, a valve'seat extending inwardly from the inner Wall of thehousing adjacent one end thereof, a check valve within said housing andadapted to engage said seat, a tubular piercing pin integral with thevalve and extending from and beyond said one end of the housing when thevalve is seated, a valve stop extending inwardly from the inner wall ofthe plug for en- @agement with the valve when the latter is moved awayfrom its seat, said housing being removable from the plug to thereafterpermit the valve and pin to be removed from the housing.

6. A dispenser head comprising a body portion, a bulb piercing pin andvalve, a plug for enclosing said pin and valve, said body portion beingshaped to form a recess having a one side and a second side extending atan angle to said one side, one end of the plug being secured to i thebody portion within said recess, a dust cap pivotally secured to saidbody portion adjacent;v

one end of said second side and being movable to engage over andcompletely cover the other end of the plug and to Contact said one side,said cap When closed over the plug substantially fully occupying saidrecess to provide a body contour wherein no recess is Visual.

LAWRENCE T. WARD.

